Expedia now accepts bitcoin for hotel bookings

Expedia Inc. said Wednesday it will now accept bitcoin payments, allowing customers to pay for hotels using the digital currency.

If the move to enable bitcoin payments for hotel purchases starts attracting a new type of customer or results in an uptick in usage, Expedia
could begin accepting bitcoin in its car and flight units as well, said Michael Gulmann, vice president of global product at Expedia.

\”We wouldn\’t be jumping into something that we didn\’t think had legs. Bitcoin seems like a very viable currency,\” he said.

Bitcoin is a digital currency that is sent through an open-source, decentralized network. Proponents argue that technology behind bitcoin could allow for money to be sent around the world in a cheaper and faster way. Read: Bitcoin could get boost from Square and Stripe moves

The hotel sector has seen “a little bit more” demand for bitcoin payments than Expedia\’s other sectors, said Gulmann. “It’s not every single customer saying…‘if only I could pay with bitcoin!’ “But the demand is certainly there,” he said.

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